Here's some notes from a call this morning.

Why are kids under 10 wearing masks?

• It's what Tricounty health require us to do.
• Even if it's not common for kids to get sick they do and we want to do what we can to limit that.
• We have a lot of at-risk employees including some who have lost lives of close relationships and we need to keep a healthy working environment.
• We want to protect the kids parents and grandparents and at-risk family members.

Please explain the process that takes place when a kid or teacher tests positive and the class goes on quarantine

1. Email from parent at 4:30 says they got sick. They kick into action and trace everything about the person - do they ride the bus, where do they sit, what specials and support do they get, and start trackign down who all should quarantine.

2. A specials teacher who was asymptomatic went to take advantage of the free testing offered by the district. They didn't expect to get a positive result but did. The district contact tracers said that since the teacher was in the classroom for 40 minutes the students should get quarantined. The classroom teachers are out of the room when a special teacher comes in, so the teachers do not need to quarantine.

When a quarantine happens and kids are at school they ask parents to do pickup in the bus lanes because it's the least disruptive and least visible for those students. Few people love

Are kids in quarantine but not positive allowed to get tested and, if negative, return to sports

The guidance on testing is "follow up with your pediatrician." They recommend waiting 5 days and then getting tested. If you've been in close contact you should quarantine for 14 days. Tricounty health is the ultimate authority here.
A soccer team that has a lot of students on it had a kid from another school who was positive. Tricounty health said that after those kids quarantined for 5 days without symptoms and had a negative test they could come back.

Why are we not hearing from the district about kids in a quarantined class have a positive test

On September 12 the district decided a policy: they will only share news of a positive case if a whole class is affected with an increased quarantine. If a single student gets sick among an already quarantined group and that kid is asked to stay home longer then the district will not share that news.

Have not had much if any transmission inside a class. When kids in the same class get sick it has mostly occurred where 2 kids get sick at the same time which indicates a 3rd party infected them and not each other.

Can we have kids leave secretly so nobody knows?

They do what they can already by using the bus loop and it no longer draws as much attention. They are working with the district to have a task force.

Why does Cherry Creek schools do a 14 day quarantine when tricounty health only requires 10

It's still only 10 school days, but it also allows for a second case in the classroom to occur without extending the quarantine for the whole group.

Why is school still doing specials and recess and less priority?

There are so many kids where those are the classes that make them most excited to come to school. It would be hard on those kids and families to take away their specials. They are doing what they can to limit exposure by teaching the classes in bigger spaces or outdoors where possible.

Is the library time safe?

Yes, the kids are not in the room for very long and the librarian is behind a desk quite far from the kids and everyone is wearing a mask.

What should families do if they are taking vacation over fall break?

• If you have symptoms, get tested
• If you do some trip but are isolated over the break and as isolated as you normally are then feel free to come back to school right away.
• If you visit somewhere that doesn't have restrictions and as a family spend the week interacting with strangers, or if the person next to you on the flight spends a few hours hacking on you, please do quarantine.